Olympic Bouquets of Green Flowers

CTV Reports:

The bouquets presented to medalists at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games have been seen on televisions and in pictures around the world.

But the bouquets are more than just pretty flowers. A lot of thought and design revisions went into making them, and they are helping to give people a second chance.

The bouquets feature plants and foliage were chosen to represent British Columbia and Canada and include various shades of green, from spider mums, hypericum berries and broad leaf greens to loops of monkey grass, leatherleaf fern and aspidistra leaves.

When I first saw them I was confused. I really expected red and white, perhaps dogwood which is our BC Flower and maybe even some symbolic red maple leaves... tee hee.

I am not a florist... I just know pretty.... and though green is my favourite colour, these bouquets just aren't that pretty.

CTV Continues:

The bouquets are green in more ways than one. They are wrapped in recycled, chlorine and acid-free paper, and the flowers are from environmentally-friendly farms in Ecuador.

"The problem that we have about [our] native plants and using some of our own plant material at this time of the year [is] we're in our winter months, where we don't have light levels to kind of sustain or be able to provide a supply of flowers," Ferragine said.

As well, many of the women making the bouquets are part of a program that trains people who have overcome drug problems and criminal pasts.

Well, at least they get a gold, silver or bronze medal too ;)

Can't be at the Games? Host your own Olympic Party

Not everyone can get to the games, but enjoying and celebrating the Olympics is easy to do from home.

First of all, the games are played (and replayed) all day on almost every channel. Invite some friends over and let the party begin...

Food:

Ask friends choose a country and make a dish that is authentic to that country. A variety of ethnic food will help everyone get into the spirit. Or choose a country you are rooting for and doo all the foods from that one country.

I root for Canada so I would make poutine, pancakes with Maple Syrup and maybe some smoked salmon ha ha ha. - - - OK - - - I am joking... mostly.

But there are many countries with such delicious food, it would be fun.

Beverages:

You have to have booze. Again, you could base your drinks on a particular country (I would say Canadian Whiskey for example) but why stop there?

Make Olympic Medal Martini's in Gold, Silver and Bronze.

Try drinks with your favourite countries flag colours.

Garnish with mini flag stir sticks or toothpicks (you can usually find at the dollar store)

Decorations:

Flags is the easy answer, big ones, small ones, a variety of ones... though you can use items from whatever sport you are watching to get into the spirit.

At a hockey party I had people over with their hockey masks and sticks with Canada Flags on them.... Very Fun!

Just don't use the olympic rings - Vanoc will get you ;)

Celebration:

As if the food and booze weren't enough... I have coloured sparklers and some fireworks in which I use to celebrate. When Canada got their first Gold (Love you Alex Bilodeau) we set off the red and gold while my daughter had red sparklers sizzling as she drew shapes in the sky wearing her Canada Jersey.

Of course hooting and hollering and screaming and cheering works well too ;)

So, no matter where you are - enjoy the Olympics and Celebrate!

Frog Stone Grill

The Frog Stone Grill is in Maple Ridge and Coquitlam BC and offers a variety of food in a casual setting fun for friends, co-workers and families to get together.


My husband and I love to go for their guacamole, which they hand-make at your table to your tastes. They also offer a children's menu so we can bring the lil' one along [unless it's date night, then she gets home-made dinner with Gramma]

It's a great combination of food and drinks.

Their drink menu has a variety of martini's, bellini's, cocktails and something in between. I love the way they combine slushed drinks with martini's for a rare mixture of sweet flavours.

The decor has a frog theme in the rainforest and they have lil' toy frogs served with all their bevvies.

I love going their for drinks and dinner [and guacamole] with my husband whenever we can.